Milwaukee Irish Fest Celebrates the Celtic Heart of North America

The Milwaukee Irish Fest is North America’s largest celebration of Irish music and culture. The four-day festival showcases more than 100 entertainment acts on 16-stages at Henry W. Maier Festival Park on Milwaukee’s lakefront. The annual festival occurs every third weekend in August. The 2018 festival takes place August 16 to 19.

The success of the Milwaukee Irish Fest since its founding in 1981 is not letting up.  Although based on the recent year’s festivals which has seen the organizers focus on the musical and cultural traditions of all the Celtic nations, it is more appropriately named the “Milwaukee Celtic Fest”.

Not only does Milwaukee rank as one of the premiere Celtic festivals in the world but the sponsors have also branched out and established permanent cultural institutions that promote the preservation of Celtic culture, “The Irish Centre” being a prime example.  The Center serves as a focal point of “Irish-related activities, including concerts, workshops, rehearsals and Gaelic Language lessons.”  In 1992 the Irish Fest established the Ward Irish Music Archives which describes itself as the “largest public collection of Irish Music in America.”  In addition, the Milwaukee Irish Fest Foundation”, founded in 1994, has over the years granted in excess of $500,000 to cultural, educational and community-based organizations.

Another aspect of the significance of the Irish Fest contribution to the resurgence of Celtic cultural awareness in North America is the “Summer School” held in Milwaukee in the days running up to the Fest.  This year’s program offers 46 classes ranging from Irish language, Dance, Intermediate Bbodhrán (Irish Frame Drum), Celtic Calligraphy and a course in Intermediate Cape Breton Fiddling taught by Wendy MacIsaac who is kin to Natalie Mac Master and herself a member of the Cape Breton Fiddling elite.

Natalie MacMaster. Image: www.nataliemacmaster.com

Superlatives fail in describing the entertainment line-up with over 100 bands performing on multiple stages in the sprawling festival grounds. We are talking major internationally renowned Celtic artists.  This year’s theme is “Nova Scotia: The Celtic Heart of North America Showcase”.  Over 15 bands will make their Milwaukee Irish Fest debut this August Such as the Scotland trio Talisk, the Irish language advocates group Seo Linn, Ireland’s number one indie/rock group The Coronas and more 9 artists from Nova Scotia will perform as part of the Celtic Heart of North America Showcase; the legendary  Natalie MacMaster, Donnell Leahy and Family, Coig, Shannon Quinn, Shreem x Celtic Remixing, The Stanfields, Mary Jane Lamond and Wendy MacIsaac, Scott Macmillan and Colin Grant and  Decota McNamara. In addition to the global super stars Gaelic Storm who regularly perform at the fest. Also performing this year are the successful band from Donegal the “Screaming Orphans” and topping off the blockbuster line-up are the “The Red Hot Chilli Pipers” returning in 2018 with the kick off to festival on Thursday with a show that will include local Milwaukee piping bands.

The Milwaukee Irish Fest Mission statement reads as follows: “To preserve, promote and celebrate all aspects of Irish, Irish American and Celtic cultures and to instill in current and future generations an appreciation of their heritage”.

Milwaukee Irish Festival

• When: August 16 - 19, 2018
• Where: The Henry W. Maier Festival Park, 200 North Harbour Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53202
• Website: www.irishfest.com